The invention pertains to software driven systems and methods for developing audio/video sequences. More particularly, the invention pertains to such system and methods wherein a user can create an editable list of works which can be presented.
With the advent of CDs a wide variety of music, music videos or video sequences are conveniently available for a user in a non-analog, digital format. The advantages of digital recording of both audio and video have been recognized and are to a great extent realized with the ready availability of pre-recorded CDs.
While convenient, pre-recorded CDs present a problem to a user in that while it is possible to select sequentially between the pre-recorded works on a given CD, to switch to another artist or group it is necessary to have multiple drives available or to remove one CD and insert another at the appropriate time. While possible, such arrangements are at the very least inconvenient. In addition, because of the delays inherent in switching from one CD to another, the audio or video output might be lost for an undesirably long period of time thereby detracting from the ambiance afforded by the performance. In addition, listeners at times are only interested in one or two of the tracks on a CD in a given situation.
There thus continues to be a need for systems and methods which will make it possible to combine works by a variety of performers or artists in a relatively arbitrary fashion and to present those works in a given sequence in a fashion that is convenient but which at the same time is cost effective. It would also be desirable to be able to use widely available personal computers as control elements in such systems.
A system and a method of arranging media elements for later replay make it possible to create new sequential presentations of the elements. The elements can be obtained from a local medium such as a CD, or a video tape. Alternately, the elements can be obtained from a remote location via wired or wireless transmission. Elements can include audio works such as music or audio/visual works including advertisements, music videos or other types of elements.
The elements can be stored on a readable digital storage medium. Some or all of the elements can be played back or performed individually.
A collection of separate elements can be identified and arranged. One form of arrangement is a list. Another is a non-linear tree-like arrangement.
The collection can be played back or performed sequentially as specified in a list. Alternately, the elements can be performed interactively as specified in a tree. In this embodiment, tree nodes represent decision points for a viewer or a listener.
A graphically-oriented editor is provided for building or editing lists or trees. The lists or trees can be stored and subsequently retrieved for editing or performing the collected media elements.
Output can, in one aspect, be an audible or a visible performance of the elements in accordance with a selected list or tree. In another aspect, the collection can be written to a medium. Hence, a CD or other digital medium can be written, or audio or video tapes can be recorded. The output medium is not a limitation of the invention.
In yet another aspect, a system incorporating a card reader or a vending unit can be used to build a list of elements. In this instance an appropriate credit needs to be established before an element can be added to an on-going collection being performed.
Subsequent to a credit being established and a selection or selections made in accordance with the credit, elements can be added to the list and performed. Elements can be exclusively audio. Alternately, elements can include both audio and video components without limitation.
In yet another aspect, the method includes building a list of media elements which can come from a variety of sources. Preferably, the media elements are storable in a digital format.
Subsequently, the list can be reviewed visually by a user and either modified or edited for the purpose of creating a sequence of media elements to be replayed or presented. Subsequently, the list is executed and the elements are either presented audibly or visually or both in accordance with their characteristics.
In a further aspect, a digitized inventory of media elements can be created by either reading a local digital medium, such as a CD ROM or by receiving, via wireless transmission, digitized sequence of works which can then be stored in the inventory. If desired, the user can preview some or all of any element in the inventory.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.